Railway car



Dec. 9, 1941.`

c. D. BQNsALl.

RAILWAY CAR Filed April 2, 1939 2 Sheets-Shea?l vl .gv um, mm

NW/ N Dec. 9, 1941.A

C. D. BONSALL RAILWAY CAR Filed April 20, 1939 2 SheetS-Sheekl 2 l?tival lill/llt Patented Dec. 9, 1941 RAILWAY OAR Charles D. Bonsall,Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Standard Railway Equipment ManufacturingCompany, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Dela- Ware Application April20, 1939, lSerial No. 269,004

Claims.

The invention relates to ventilated house cars and particularly to theconversion of refrigerator cars to cars adapted to be operated underventilation.

A common type of refrigerator car which has been in general use for `raperiod of many years has ice bunkers disposed adjacent opposite endwalls of the car with hatches thereabove in the roof for loadingrefrigerant. The central portion of the car is the lading compartment;bulkheads are provided adjacent each ice bunker to define the ends ofthe lading compartment. The bulkheads have considerable strength toresist the thrusts of the lading caused by service movements of the car.ported within the lading compartment by floor racks which provide aspace between the lading and the floor of the car. The bulkheads arespaced from the floor and from the roof so that air, upon being cooledby the refrigerant in the bunker circulates under the bulkheads to thespace below the lading. The air then circulates upwardly through thefloor rack, whichis foraminous for the purpose, through the ladingcompartment and over the bulkheads to the ice bunkers.

In recent years, more modern types of refrigerator cars have seenconsiderable service. There are mechanical refrigerator cars, dry icecars, side bunker cars and particularly, overhead bunker cars. The lastmentioned is becoming increasingly popular becaues it is more efdcientdue to the height of the refrigerant above the lading, making possiblethe maintaining of lower and more uniform temperatures. space isavailable for the lading on account of the absence of ice bunkers at theends of the cars.

The advent of the new types of refrigerator cars has presented theproblem of disposing of the old cars. It is not economically sound tooperate an old type of car when a new and more efficient type isavailable. Neither is it sound to scrap cars which are in goodmechanical condition and have years of service remaining. It is anobject of this invention to convert refrigerator cars to ventilatedcars. Many fresh fruits and vegetables give off heat during storage ortransportation. This heat results from chemical changes occurring withinthe fruit or vegetable, such as ripening. While many such products maybe safely transported at any temperature within a relatively wide rangeit is important that fresh air be supplied continuously to carry awaythe heat which is constantly emitted. To allow The lading is commonlysup- In addition, more t ment is to increase the temperature excessivelywith a consequent acceleration of ripening and possible spoilage.

It is an object of this invention to convert a refrigerator car to aventilated car by providing means for the air to enter through thehatches at one end of the car, permeate through the lading within thecar and flow out of the car through hatches positioned at the oppositeend of the car.

Another object of the invention is to provide means to prevent waterfrom entering the hatches and reaching the lading. Many types of ladingare damaged by moisture and since cars must be Ventilated during rainyweather, means must be provided to trap the moisture which accompaniesthe Ventilating air.

A further object is to adapt the car so that air may enter at either endand flow out at the opposite end, thereby permitting the car to beoperated in either direction.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent fromthefollowing detailed description taken in reference to the accompanyingdrawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a car embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan section on line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the car as indicated by the line 3-3in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section to a reduced scale of an end bunkerrefrigerator car from which the car shown in Figs. 1 to 3 has beenconverted.

Fig. 4 shows a standard type of end bunker refrigerator car includingthe following parts: roof 2, end walls 3, floor 4, ice bunkers 5,bulkheads 6, hatches l, lading compartment 8, floor rack 9 and space l0between the floor rack and floor. The foregoing `numerals refer tosimilar parts in Figs. 1 to 3.

The conversion of the refrigerator car of Fig. 4 to a Ventilating carcomprises removal of the bunkers 5 yand bulkheads 6 and the addition ofparts which will be hereinafter described. Insulating hatch covers 20are commonly provided to prevent ingress of warm air to refrigeratorcars. The covers ordinarily have no fixed relation to the hatch frames2l but are attached thereto by means of a chain to prevent loss; in moremodern cars, the covers are often hinged as shown in Fig. 1. Theconversion of some types of cars requires no changes in hatch coverarrangement to conform to that shown in Fig. 1;

the heat to remain within the lading compartin other types of cars, thehinges 24 and supporttherefrom, which flanges extend substantiallyto theroof of the car so that Ythe only openingseinV the chambers encompassedby the pans 35 are the hatches 1 and the openings-39 "which: lead to thei ilue 35. The flue 36 is preferably-fofflessWidth thanl the car andcomprisesaibottom Wal'l 'dil and upstanding anges 42 which engage theroof 2. Throat sections 44 preferablyconnect theflue 33 to the pans 35.Y

A partition 50 is positioned Within the "Hue 33, .preferably midwaybetween the :hatches l; todivide --theflue 36 into 1a `:pairpf ducts 51,,52, each communicating with a hatch 1. .apertures l53h-re provided,preferably inthe bottom. Wall-.MF to .provide communication between theducts -5.=| -52 .and the lading compartment 8; Aperturesmay also beprovided Ain the ilangesfdi.` in addition :to vor in placent theapertures-inthe bottom w21-1l 4l. Thearrows .-i-n .-Fig. l lshowthexpath.of the ventilating .air when `thecar 'is moving invaidirection suchthat the aval-1551s at .the head or .leaf-1 .ing end. The hatch .cover5.5 trapsthe .ain-adia- .cent Athe roof .2, .the .air being-forcedthrough the hatch Elf-to the duct5.i.v The a-ir then flows through the:apertures-53 `to the` ladingcompartf ment Where it circulaires` .incontact with t `the lading',y The pressure :exerted .bythe .continuousflow `of :ai-rithrough the hatch-51 Vin .addition vto .the .aspiratoreffect .of 'the` hatch .60 `causes .the air to flow upwardly throughlthe apertures53-in the ue 52 Vand -thenceoutwardly through the .hatchI(it). l Y

- Means tare A.provided yto prevent moisture enter- Y ing the ladingcompartment 8. Bailieplatesl Yare inserted in the path of the-.inovringai-r. to

deflect vmoisture carried ftherewithinto thefpans 35. In addition,upstanding peripheral lil-anges 61 yareassociated with. the apertures 53lso .that water-in the ducts-54, 52 -.cannot.alowfy through theapertures 53 tto thefladi'ng compartment. Drain pipes -are .provided -toIdrain liquid .from lthe @pans 35 to ,the Yexterior of the-.carpreferably fthrough'the Water sealed drains-10. It is to be understoodthat the ventilatingsys- .tem herein describedffunctions in asimilarmanscribed, as it is obvious that various modifica,- tions thereof,within the scope of the claims, will occur to persons skilled in theart.

I claim:

1. In a refrigerator car having a hatch in the roof disposed adjacenteach end of the car, the combination of a pair of non-communicatingducts adiacentthe roof *ofthe` car, each communicating WithV one ofsaid"hatches, 'communicating means between the lading compartment -of thecar and both of said ducts, and a drip pan disposed below each of saidhatches in substantial alignment with the bottom wall of said duct`s'liglfiitly below the'level thereof.

:ner When-the ycarfmoves -in the foppositerdirection because `:both-ends -of the car .are-substantially identical. Y

The-accompanying drawings Jillustratethe pre-.- ferred -form of.theinventiom thoughfi-tisftofbe understood that the invention isnot;limi.ted to thefexact details of construction shown and VVde- 2;!1In a refrigerator car having a hatch in the roofdisposedadlacent eachend of the car, the combination of i a pair of non-communicating-ductsvtadiacentrzthe roof of the car, each communcating with one ofsaid hatches, communi- Acatiirrg means between the lading compartment ofthe car and bothof said ducts compris-ing aplura-lity of :distributedapertures in said duct.; anda drip pan disposed Vbelow feachfof :saidhatches .in substantial alignment with the bottom.-w;all.iof ,sa-idduct.

.3. In areirigerator carina-vingfafmtchnzthe roof disposediadjacenttea-.ch y:end -ofthe car, .the combination of-:a pai-r ofYnouw-.comn'runicating .ducts adjacent the troef-.of the-car,yeachrgcom-` municating .with '.oneeoffsaid hatches,conrxrmrnie `veatingmeans V'bett/'een the lad-ing compartment of the car and both of .said.ducts ,comprisingza plurality of distributed-faperturesin therbottomWall of Asaid .duc-t, said- ;apertures having opstandingfper-ipheralflanges,.and .ga drip pan disposed below .-.each .of said Vhatches -in:substantial alignment with fthe-.bottom `wall of said: duct slightly.below the -leuel thereon Y 4. In a vrefrigerator carhaving a hatch'.inxthe roof :disposed adiacent-.each end 'fof the :can the combinationof. a pair` :of monezcommunicating ducts-adja-Oentthe roof of ythefcaryfea'ch communicating with one of said hatches, .commitm-V .catingmeans Abetween the ilading .compartment .of 'the :car and both Y ofsaid. .ducts lcomp-rising a plurality of distributed apertures in saidduct., and a substantial-ly horizontal drip pan `.disposed .below each.of :said-,hatches vand slightly .below thelevel of the bottom Wall I:of:said: duct.

5. In .a refrigerator carhavinga hatch in the roof 'disposed'.adjacent:eachnend of thecan :.the combination 1of a vpai-r fof.non-communicating ducts ,'adacentwthe moo-f of. the car, each-.cornInu-nicating iwith one :of said ,hatch'es,:comm-unicating -meansbetweenthe lading compartment of the, ycar and bothl of said f ducts.comprising ;a plurality of .distributed :apertures .in'fsatididuct,.::a drip pan disposed. .below i .each of said-.hatches inVsubstantial .alignment with the bottom: .wall .of said duct slightlybelow. the leyel thereof; and means to drain liquid from-said'plrippans..

3D.; BONSAIL'..

